Tyler Farr
Suffer In Peace
Sony Nashville – (2015)

By Michael Rampa

Sometimes, you have to start at the top before you can get real. Tyler Farr’s 2013 debut, “Redneck Crazy” spawned two hits and landed in the Top 5. Colt Ford had him take “”Dirt Road Anthem” for a spin before Jason Aldean cut it. His sophomore effort, “Suffer in Silence,” is more introspective. The lead single,  “A Guy Walks Into A Bar,” peaked at No. 9 on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. Producers Jim Catino and Julian King showcase an 11- song collection here ( three of which Farr had a hand in writing) that has a much different feel from the full throttle swagger they put on “Crazy.”

Save for the cover art and painfully obvious opener, “C.O.U.N.T.R.Y.” Farr manages to pull in the reins on  the rock and hip hop tinges that ran through his debut. As a result, the melancholy ballads shine and redneck clichés are deftly finessed rather than openly touted.  On the emotional title track, the narrator retires to a remote cabin in the hills after his lover leaves. The bible, a rifle and a rod and reel are what’s necessary to alleviate pain (In the ultimate ironic twist, alcohol is not on the list). The ache in his voice is primal on “Withdrawals,” where he professes love as the most painful addiction.

While promoting the lead single , Farr opened up about his drinking buddies, Jason Aldean, Jerrod Neimann and Randy Houser. He said, “I would love to get into details about some of these stories, but I would put myself at risk, along with some of my friends and TMZ would be parked in front of my house.” The hard partying is kept to a minimum throughout.

While the feel of this album is different from his debut, it is not a radical departure. It neither overly impresses nor disappoints.

For more visit: http://www.tylerfarr.com/